Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Steven Sterzer, MD

Optician · Chico, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
24 HANOVER LN, Chico, CA 95973
5308950428
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1487691630 verify on NPPES ↗
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating. This page presents federal public records about Dr. Sterzer from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
Are you Dr. Sterzer? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Sterzer

Dr. Steven Sterzer is an optician specialist in Chico, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sterzer performed 4,943 Medicare services across 1,969 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sterzer received a total of $1,548 from 15 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 82 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Sterzer is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ Top 17% volume in CA $1,548 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
4,943
Medicare services
Top 17% in CA for optician
1,969
Unique beneficiaries
$56
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~260 Medicare services per year of practice

Top procedures by volume

Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.

Procedure Volume Avg. paid Avg. submitted
Botox injection, per unit
An injection of onabotulinumtoxinA, a medication used to temporarily relax muscles or reduce gland activity. The dose is measured in units, with this code representing a single unit administered.
1,500 $5 $8
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)
An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
1,316 $66 $200
Manual urinalysis with microscopic examination
A urine test performed manually without automated equipment. The sample is examined under a microscope to check for abnormalities.
527 $4 $50
Leuprolide acetate (for depot suspension), 7.5 mg 466 $134 $800
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)
A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
214 $93 $300
Cystourethroscopy
A diagnostic exam of the bladder and urethra using an endoscope to visually inspect the urinary tract.
206 $192 $475
Subcutaneous or intramuscular chemotherapy injection
This procedure involves administering anti-cancer hormonal medication through an injection into the tissue under the skin or into a muscle.
127 $27 $100
New patient office visit (30-44 min)
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range.
92 $72 $300
New patient office visit (45-59 min)
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter.
91 $122 $450
Bladder cancer protein test
A laboratory test that measures specific proteins to help diagnose and monitor bladder cancer.
76 $21 $75
Transrectal ultrasound of the pelvis
An ultrasound imaging procedure where a probe is inserted into the rectum to visualize pelvic structures.
61 $113 $275
Simple insertion of temporary bladder tube
A procedure to place a temporary tube into the bladder. This allows for the drainage of urine from the bladder.
50 $48 $175
Additional urethral implant in prostate
Placement of an additional implant into the urethra within the prostate gland using an endoscope.
43 $40 $2,900
Prostate gland biopsy
A procedure to remove small samples of tissue from the prostate gland for laboratory examination.
42 $201 $700
Ultrasound guidance for needle placement
Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure.
42 $48 $175
Office visit for established patient
An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present.
24 $15 $50
Cystoscopy with chemical ablation of bladder
A procedure where a camera is used to examine the bladder and a chemical agent is applied to destroy abnormal tissue.
20 $325 $900
Urethral dilation using endoscope
A procedure to widen the urethra using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope. This helps to open a narrowed urethral passage.
18 $268 $800
Endoscopic removal of bladder or urethra growth, 2.0-5.0 cm
This procedure uses an endoscope to destroy or remove a growth from the bladder or urethra that measures between 2.0 and 5.0 centimeters.
16 $215 $800
Urethral implant insertion in prostate
A single implant is placed into the urethra within the prostate gland using an endoscope.
12 $161 $3,700
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.
0.4% high complexity
35.8% medium
63.7% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$1,548
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $221/year across 7 years
Top 42% in CA for optician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
15
Companies
82
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →

Payment profile

Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.

Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$1,372 (88.6%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$176 (11.4%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$15
2023
$304
2022
$425
2021
$287
2020
$164
2019
$191
2018
$160

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$409
AbbVie Inc.
$238
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$198
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$170
Allergan, Inc.
$95
PFIZER INC.
$87
Teleflex LLC
$75
AbbVie, Inc.
$72
Allergan Inc.
$61
ABBVIE INC.
$40
UROVANT SCIENCES INC
$33
COLOPLAST CORP
$23
Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$18
Boston Scientific Corporation
$17
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$12
Top 3 companies account for 54.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AKEEGA · AQUABEAM ROBOTIC SYSTEM · Androgel · BOTOX · BOTOX - UROLOGY · BOTOX THERAPEUTIC · ERLEADA · Erleada · GEMTESA · GENERAL BPH · LUPRON DEPOT · Lupron · Lupron Depot · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · Noctiva · Titan · UROLIFT · UroLift System · XTANDI · Xtandi · ZYTIGA
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →

Most payments (89%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for an optician specialist in Chico?
Compare opticians in the Chico area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse opticians nearby

Geographic Context

Opticians within 10 mi
38
Per 100K population
18.1
County median income
$68,574
Nearest hospital
ENLOE HEALTH
9.1 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPES Weekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOS Monthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util. Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open Payments CY 2024
Disciplinary History — Not public N/A

This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →

Summary

Dr. Sterzer is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 17% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of NPI registration.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Sterzer experienced with botox injection, per unit?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sterzer performed 1,500 botox injection, per unit services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Sterzer receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sterzer received a total of $1,548 from 15 companies across 82 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Sterzer's costs compare to other opticians in Chico?
Dr. Sterzer's average Medicare payment per service is $56. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Sterzer) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
About this page

All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.

This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →